Totemist's Basilisk Mask - Let's optimize this thing

[daremetoidareyo]

From Magic of Incarnum comes the Basilisk mask. This handy dandy little soulmeld just right out hands you 30' of darkvision. What, that's not any good?, you say? Well, you can get EEEVEN more darkvision by spending essencia. You know, the skeeball tokens of incarnum, essencia. You can spend them for ADDITIONAL 30 FOOT BLOCKS OF DARKVISION!!!

Ohhhh, but that's not all. If you have an unardorned eyebrow slot...AAAAnnnd you're feeling a little frisky...you can just lick the back of the bask and stick it to your forehead and BANG! You get blind fight.

The Feat, Blindfighting. You get to use that. With your eyes...that can already see in the dark. Moving on...

OH Daddy, Did you guys see this? It says here that the basilisk mask may cause temporary petrification if used by those trained as Totemists. Lasting up to an entire turn. Contact your fort save if you feel like the silent creep you just met keeps trying to stare at you for a full round instead of using those mystical blueshimmer claws, wings, and jowls.


At level 2, the totemist has an instant death switch, but he/she cant just bring themselves to flip it all the way. Also, the soulmeld has other uses that can be optimized, and I'll be mildly amused at seeing that done well, but I want to see if we can figure out how to perform the old 1 and 2: the petrify and smash-to-pieces.


I'de like to see it obtained without resorting to tier 1 casters, but if we can't, whatever. Lowest level at which you can reliably (75% chance of working or greater) kill any opponent of equivalent HD using the petrify power. No flaws unless absolutely necessary. Mundane in this case, is synonymous with FUN-dane.


Off the top of my head, I think there is a +2 gaze attack DCs somewhere in Savage species, and there are stone mountain maneauvers, and SUNDER, and that weird snatch trophy, (maybe you can combine it with a vorpal sword, a cohort with that feat, and the soul meld that keeps you from being legit dead at -1 through -9 HP. Maybe your cohort is running around using your head to petrify people while your body sunders them with each natural attack. I don't know.


Also, is using a soulmeld ability a spell like or supernatural ability? Cuz we might be able to quicken this badboy?

Edit: Also, Can you gaze attack someone in a darkness spell radius? Cuz, drow totemist might be something to talk about.... Gaze Rules are found here (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Gaze) AND Petrified Rules are found here (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Petrified)

Hewn stone 3ft thick has a hardness of 8, 540 hp and a break DC of 50. Where stone of 1ft of thickness has 90HP and a break DC of 35! (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD3e:Breaking_Items_%26_Attacking_Objects#Object_ Hardness_and_Hit_Points) Meaning that you might be able to smash arms and legs off...

[Inevitability]

Immediately following up the petrification with a Transmute Rock to Mud should work. It gets even more fun once the six seconds end.

[Psyren]

Not to burst your bubble but:

1) the petrification range is fixed to 30 ft. no matter how much essentia you pump in.
2) It's not actually a gaze attack, because it's never stated to be such. That is, it won't petrify people around you passively, and enemies don't have to avert their eyes even if they're within range - you have to spend the full-round action to petrify someone.
3) Soulmeld abilities occupy a weird gray area between being spell-like and supernatural (e.g. they don't provoke, but they are subject to SR.) I know of no ways to quicken them regardless.

[Troacctid]

The key is to get as many familiars and animal companions as possible and get them to use the ability, so that you can force multiple saves per round without spending any actions of your own.

[Psyren]

Share Soulmeld will only affect one companion as written, and you can only take it once. Also, depending on how you read "also affect," it may be that the soulmeld uses their Con to set the DC rather than yours.

[ComaVision]

Share Soulmeld will only affect one companion as written, and you can only take it once. Also, depending on how you read "also affect," it may be that the soulmeld uses their Con to set the DC rather than yours.

Assuming that reading, are there very high Con animal companion options that could make the DC more formidable?

EDIT: Also, Wildshape could boost that up. I'm starting to want to play a Totemist 2/Druid X.

[Troacctid]

Share Soulmeld will only affect one companion as written, and you can only take it once. Also, depending on how you read "also affect," it may be that the soulmeld uses their Con to set the DC rather than yours.

I'm not seeing that limit in the text. It does say "familiar, animal companion, or mount," but the "or" isn't necessarily exclusive in that context.

[Psyren]

I'm not seeing that limit in the text. It does say "familiar, animal companion, or mount," but the "or" isn't necessarily exclusive in that context.

How is it not? The or is clear, you have to choose one of those to affect.

The feat then goes on to say "the creature in question," proving that it is singular.

[Troacctid]

It also uses "soulmeld" singularly. *shrug*

The singular nouns don't necessarily imply that you only affect one companion. A lot of things use a similar construction and aren't restricted to a single target. If you had to choose just one, it would probably say to choose just one.

[Talionis]

Doesn't a low level Warlock have at will Sunder?

[ComaVision]

Doesn't a low level Warlock have at will Sunder?

Shatter but yes.

[Psyren]

It also uses "soulmeld" singularly. *shrug*

Of course it does - you can only share one at a time ("loses the benefits of the soulmeld.") I'm not seeing the problem this causes. :smallconfused:

[Troacctid]

Of course it does - you can only share one at a time ("loses the benefits of the soulmeld.") I'm not seeing the problem this causes. :smallconfused:

The normal Share Spells ability uses the same wording, and most people interpret it as allowing you to share multiple spells.


Doesn't a low level Warlock have at will Sunder?

10 pounds per level, though. Probably not enough for most enemies.

[Psyren]

The normal Share Spells ability uses the same wording, and most people interpret it as allowing you to share multiple spells.

But not with a single casting, you still have to cast them individually. But Soulmelds aren't cast - the Share Soulmelds wording is for a constant effect, i.e. one that is already affecting you.

[daremetoidareyo]

I've been kicking around how to sunder the statues.

I'm assuming that the sudden break DC for a statue is 50. based on the hardness table and the average thickness of a trunk of medium sized humanoid. Which a totemist 2/barbarian 1/fighter 2 (dungeoncrasher) while raging with destructive rage, reckless rage and lucky break can't even get near that roll with +21 on the roll while raging. Maybe totemist 2/barbarian 1/fighter 2/Marshal 1/sorcerer 1. Pump up Strength and Charisma and motivate strength? Use your familiar to gaze?

The text of the petrification comes from Flesh to Stone:
The subject, along with all its carried gear, turns into a mindless, inert statue. If the statue resulting from this spell is broken or damaged, the subject (if ever returned to its original state) has similar damage or deformities. The creature is not dead, but it does not seem to be alive either when viewed with spells such as deathwatch. Only creatures made of flesh are affected by this spell.



Which got me thinking. If we can use the newly petrified dude as a piece of ammunition, well then, all we have to do is hit our target and it will be destroyed. Heroes of battle has catapult rules, and setting up the catapult would take forever.

But this returns us to the age old question, is a rock considered ammunition if you throw it? It definitely is when you use a sling. But when you aren't using it as a cudgel, and instead tossing it at a face, is it ammunition? If so, 2 levels of hulking hurler on a goliath or a half orc with the jormengrand feat will allow one to throw 1000 pound rocks. And if they hit, they are destroyed...possibly.

It also make that stonecutting dwarven craft skill seem really interesting. Deformities? You could easily blind the petrified creature with some craft checks. Just sayin.

But, it seems that totemist 2/druid X/more animal cohorts is really the way to go. Fill up all your spell slots with stone shape, choose an animal companion based entire on con score + the presence of eyes and share your soul meld. At level 5, you can petrify a dude and stone shape him into armor or maybe a big arrow

[Troacctid]

What about Rockburst, from Shining South? Do petrified creatures count as objects-not-creatures? I always forget.


But not with a single casting, you still have to cast them individually. But Soulmelds aren't cast - the Share Soulmelds wording is for a constant effect, i.e. one that is already affecting you.

Okay then, Quick Draw. "You can draw a weapon as a free action". Only one weapon? Scribe Scroll: "You can create a scroll of any spell that you know." Only one scroll? Only one spell?

I can go on. Singulars are commonplace and they don't necessarily imply "only one".

[Psyren]

]
Okay then, Quick Draw. "You can draw a weapon as a free action". Only one weapon? Scribe Scroll: "You can create a scroll of any spell that you know." Only one scroll? Only one spell?

I can go on. Singulars are commonplace and they don't necessarily imply "only one".

None of those are helping your case. Yes, you draw one weapon per free action, you just happen to get unlimited numbers of free actions. Yes, you create one scroll at a time. These are all discrete quantities of things.

[Troacctid]

None of those are helping your case. Yes, you draw one weapon per free action, you just happen to get unlimited numbers of free actions. Yes, you create one scroll at a time. These are all discrete quantities of things.

Inspire courage. "To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls."

Fog cloud. "A creature within 5 feet has concealment."

Blood snow. "Each round, a creature in contact with blood snow must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1d2 points of Constitution drain."

[Psyren]

Your first example has an explicit plural elsewhere in the ability to explain how it works, and the others are still discrete multiples that happen singly, so the use of a singular makes sense. None of them are therefore "only one" the way Share Soulmeld is.


Inspire courage. "To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls."

Plurals:

"Once per day per bard level, a bard can use his song or poetics to produce magical effects on those around him (usually including himself, if desired)."
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities.


Fog cloud. "A creature within 5 feet has concealment."

Discrete again:

"To determine whether your target has concealment from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target’s square passes through a square or border that provides concealment, the target has concealment."
"When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has concealment if his space is entirely within an effect that grants concealment."

Each creature determines concealment individually relative to their attacker.


Blood snow. "Each round, a creature in contact with blood snow must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1d2 points of Constitution drain."

Discrete again:

"Each round’s activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds, in order, from there."

The folks touching the snow make their saves in sequence, as their turns come up, as do any new creatures who come into contact with the snow on their turns.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Share Soulmeld definitely works for multiple soulmelds. It says: "At your option, any soulmeld shaped by you and currently affecting you can also affect your familiar, animal companion, or mount". This clearly indicates that "You can share a soulmeld with an ally with which you have a special bond" means 'a given soulmeld' rather than 'a specific soulmeld'.

It also works for multiple companions, in my opinion.

[Psyren]

Share Soulmeld definitely works for multiple soulmelds. It says: "At your option, any soulmeld shaped by you and currently affecting you can also affect your familiar, animal companion, or mount". This clearly indicates that "You can share a soulmeld with an ally with which you have a special bond" means 'a given soulmeld' rather than 'a specific soulmeld'.

You can use it with any soulmeld you have shaped, yes - but one at a time.


It also works for multiple companions, in my opinion.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

[Telonius]

How long does it take to put a pair of manacles on a non-resisting object?

EDIT: And there's always the classic "stick 'em in the Bag of Holding until they run out of air" trick. If that's too magical for you, have a noose already tied, drape it over their neck, throw the other end over a tree limb, and get ready to pull.

[daremetoidareyo]

How long does it take to put a pair of manacles on a non-resisting object?

EDIT: And there's always the classic "stick 'em in the Bag of Holding until they run out of air" trick. If that's too magical for you, have a noose already tied, drape it over their neck, throw the other end over a tree limb, and get ready to pull.

Probably depends on the stance that they got petrified in. I'de make it a standard action with AOO involved.


2) It's not actually a gaze attack, because it's never stated to be such. That is, it won't petrify people around you passively, and enemies don't have to avert their eyes even if they're within range - you have to spend the full-round action to petrify someone.

This is again in a grey zone. If it isn't a legit gaze attack, then we can do it in the dark, seeing as how only common sense and not RAW that says that this is an idea that doesn't work. Which makes lesser drow druid 4/totemist2/sorcerer 1 with planar touchstone: catalogues of enlightenment(Baator), and share soulmeld a heck of a beast. Especially with them casting soften earth and stone while their familiar uses their craft: sculpting skill to chisel off their arms. Or a round 2 use of rockburst, (if that is deemed appropo by the DM.)


But let's say that you have a normal, fair is fair DM. They rule that it is a gaze attack, that has special parameters around who is directly targetted, so no averting of eyes as a necessity, (as if you already have the narrowed gaze feat from SK). But then again, it doesn't work in the dark, which grants total concealment from gaze attacks. But you can take the irresistable gaze feat from SK (+2 to the DC), Piercing Gaze from SK(+30 feet), or ability focus from the MM (+2 DC) and Sudden ability focus from TOM (1/day +2 DC) to augment the DC.


Finally,
Is it breaking the vow of peace or nonviolence to petrify your opponents. And then smash their petrified stone statue while it is technically an object and not a person? You aren't attacking a person RAW.

human totemist 2/barbarian 1/marshal 1/druid X with vow of poverty/vow of nonviolence/vow of peace + destructive rage + share soulmeld + wildshape into high strength creature + huge motivate strength bonus + enhancement bonii to str.

[ComaVision]

OK, I'm by no means an eggynack but this is what I've found to use if your using the animal companion's Con mod for the DC:

Druid 1: The highest, that several companions have, seems to be 15. This includes the dog, riding dog, horse etc

Druid 4: Top is 19, with the Dire Badger and Wolverine

Druid 7: Elasmosaurus at 22 Con

Druid 10: Dire Tortoise at 25 Con

Druid 13: No upgrade from Dire Tortoise

Druid 16: Dire Elephant with 30 Con

Druid 19: Probably Horrid Elephant is better but I don't have the book.

[daremetoidareyo]

OK, I'm by no means an eggynack but this is what I've found to use if your using the animal companion's Con mod for the DC:

Druid 1: The highest, that several companions have, seems to be 15. This includes the dog, riding dog, horse etc

Druid 4: Top is 19, with the Dire Badger and Wolverine

Druid 7: Elasmosaurus at 22 Con

Druid 10: Dire Tortoise at 25 Con

Druid 13: No upgrade from Dire Tortoise

Druid 16: Dire Elephant with 30 Con

Druid 19: Probably Horrid Elephant is better but I don't have the book.

Thanks comavision!

So it looks like
Azurin
max concentration and craft (sculpting)
1: druid 1: animal affinity, natural bond, + con 15 animal
2: totemist 1
3: totemist 2: share soulmeld
4: Druid 2: Dire badger or crocodile or wolverine
5: Druid 3:
6: Druid 4: Feat that grants +1 essencia or opens brow chakra for 3fold mask
7: Druid 5
8: Beast Heart adept: owlbear (con 21)
9: Druid 6: natural spell
10: Druid 7: Elasmosaurus
And i guess more druid???

any 1st level spells
2nd level spells: rockburst (if allowed), soften earth and stone,
3rd level spells: Stoneshape
4th: Stone metamorphosis (turn into brittle sandstone, let owlbear smash it)
5th: transmute rock to mud &/or salt


Featureless plain fight at high noon on a sunny day:
Round 1: owlbear stares at opponent & elasmo stares at opponent & druid stares at opponent
opponents attack!

Round 2: druid softens the stones 10 cubic feet per level!, elasmo rolls over the mud globs (trick!) owlbear stares at new opponent.
Petrified opponents unpetrify as a mess all over the elasmo's back. Other opponents attack.

Round 3: druid stoneshapes new opponent into a Beautiful Football sized snail astride a pile of human limbs. Elasmo and owlbear petrify more opponents. Is that snail the same guy that was petrified? Or is he just a snail shaped carving made of opponent flesh? If a snail, Can I animal empathy him? I think I figured out how I got my elasmosaur.... anyway, we'll keep that snail around for questioning later. Maybe we can repetrify and stone shape him into a tiny man in return for some intel.
Opponents attack.

Round 4:
Opponents seem immune: Spend turn petrifying the elasmosaurus who has been trained to do this. Elasmo attacks opponents. owlbear fights defensively.

Round 5: Cast stone metamorphosis on petrified dinosaur. Transform from stone to Photogenerative Rock: These rocks grow quickly when exposed to light. In each round of exposure, a photogenerative rock doubles in size until it’s sixteen times as large as it was when unlit (4 rounds). Eliminating the light halts its growth, and each hour of darkness reverses the effect of 1 round of light. Now he's double size at the end of the turn when he becomes a dinosaur again.

[Troacctid]

I don't think Beast Heart Adept gives you an eligible animal companion, since the feat calls out "ANIMAL companion" specifically. You could maybe get it to count as a mount if you rode it, though. EDIT: It can't share spells, though.

Bard or Sorcerer/Wizard is probably better than Druid since it gets you both an animal companion and a familiar (via ACF + Obtain Familiar feat).

[Rubik]

What about Rockburst, from Shining South? Do petrified creatures count as objects-not-creatures? I always forget.Rockburst only works on 8+ cubic feet of stone, and the average adult human's body is only 2.34 cubic feet, so if you could increase the statue's size to Large or greater, it would most likely work, but not otherwise.

[Segev]

Order an unseen servant to wait until a creature turns to stone, and then paint its eyes with sovereign glue.

The creature will revert, have a stinging pain in its eyes, try to blink, and glue them shut.


Use shrink item to make them ammo-sized, then hurl them with a sling.


Hit them with an acid arrow while they have no AC.


Shove an open vial of Alchemist's Fire down their petrified gullet.

[The Viscount]

The primary irk to work around is that it's a full round action and only lasts 1 round. If you want to do it solo it can be done. Factotum 8 gets you cunning surge. Binder 1 or the Bind Vestige Feat gets you Aym's ruinous attack, double damage vs objects. An adamantine weapon overcomes hardness. With a good enough swing you should be able to knock off a head.

[daremetoidareyo]

Can trickery devotion at level 15 give you this gaze attack as an action?

Soulmelds are objects that behave as gear:
"A soulmeld somewhat resembles a magic item or a spell effect in physical form. It is the physical embodiment of incarnum, linked to the meldshaper’s body and worn almost like a physical item."

Phantom gear?:
Trickery devotion grants you at "15th level, the image can become more "real" at your command. It gains a Strength score equal to one-half your own and can perform combat actions using phantom versions of your gear."

I feel like the definition of combat action here is strange. The combat action would be to use the basilisk mask's ability as a full round action. But this only works if the simulacrum can bind soullmelds to its totem chakra. The text for trickery devotion seems to support it. "Once per day as a standard action, you can create an exact duplicate of yourself up to 30 feet away. You can control this simulacrum's movements as a free action. The image becomes more "real" as you advance in level."

[StreamOfTheSky]

Can someone explain the part where the Share Soulmeld feat somehow gives your pets a totem chakra bind, which is what they need to spam the petrification attack in the first place?

In any case, it's a nifty power. Much like a grappling-optimized build or a psion using brain lock, it's a "friends check" -- Do you have more friends than your enemy? If so, congratulations, you automatically win! :smallbiggrin:

You're trading your turns to deprive a foe of theirs. Whether or not that's useful comes down to sheer strength in numbers / action economy.